Seed E-News

December 19, 2003

US Consumers not expected to shun GM Wheat
Last week, Kraft Foods said that US consumers will most likely accept GM wheat in their bread, breakfast cereal and pasta as biotech crops are already widely used in many food products. Despite very public campaigns by some consumer advocates and environmental groups against GM crops, Americans have not shunned food products that contain GM corn (maize) and soybeans. Monsanto has said it could receive US approval to commercialize the world's first biotech wheat variety within the next few years. Although soybeans, corn and a few other crops have been genetically modified for years, wheat would be the first true biotech food grain. Corn and soybeans primarily are used in livestock rations, but are also used in food. Even if Monsanto wins approval, company officials have insisted it would not market biotech wheat until growers and consumers were comfortable with it. To read more, follow this link Consumers.

Brazil Soy Farmers Sign GMO Soy-Use Contracts
Approximately 73,247 Brazilian farmers signed up to plant GM soybeans in the current season, according to figures announced by Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues on December 19. The current 2003-04 season (October-September) is the first in which Brazilian farmers are allowed to plant GMO soybeans although to do so legally they had to send a signed declaration to the government by December 9. The Agriculture Ministry had anticipated between 50,000 to 100,000 to sign the declaration. Although some declarations may have arrived since the figures were calculated on December 16, the additions would be insignificant. There is almost certainly a large number of producers planting without signing up. Traders and analysts expect more than 20% of the crop to be GMO next season, with planting concentrated in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, where up to 90% of the crop is thought to be transgenic.

Brazil's President signs Soy Planting Decree
The decree, published in the Official Journal after being signed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, only allows GM soybean planting by farmers who hold GM seeds. The sale of GM seeds remains illegal in Brazil but farmers have obtained supplies smuggled in from neighboring countries. The decree, which only covers the upcoming soy harvest, is intended as a temporary measure until a definitive law to regulate GM crops is approved by Congress. Under the measure which was passed by Congress last month, farmers will be responsible for any environmental damage caused by growing GM crops. An amendment sought by Congress' lower house making GM seed producers liable, was omitted by the government. Last month Monsanto said it would accept liability for any eventual damage if farmers had paid it royalties and handled the GM seeds correctly.

Jinshan District Government sets-up Shanghai's first base for assessing and monitoring vegetables
Shanghai Jinshan District Government announced on December 17 today that the Shanghai Vegetable Technology Promotion Center has selected Shanghai Yinlong Vegetable Seeds Farm, based in Jinshan District, to be the staging area for its new assessment and monitoring base. The base will be responsible for the assessment and cultivation of new vegetables for Shanghai and other domestic markets as well as international markets. Through experimental planting and monitoring, the base will finally be able to demonstrate and promote the new vegetables that are being grown. The base is the first and only one at a municipal level in Shanghai, utilizing the experience provided by the Shanghai Yinlong Vegetable Seeds Farm, which is at the forefront of its industry. In recent years, the farm has fostered 20 new vegetable seeds, all with independent property rights, and has attributed to the development of the vegetable trade in both foreign and domestic markets.

Industry and People
If you have any personnel changes, or other developments in your company, that you would like included in E-News, please send details to ppatterson@amseed.org.

On-Line Membership Directory
ASTA has launched its new online membership directory to which only members will have access. Members should have received letters with their individual User ID and password. Members will have access to three directories – member companies, individuals and ASTA committees. Members will be able to search and sort within each directory in several ways, by member type, region, division, product and seed type. Members will also have the ability to e-mail an individual or group from the search results. We are confident that members will find this a valuable benefit of ASTA membership. The on-line directory replaces the hardcopy directory. issued in the past

ASTA Membership Database
The on-line directory draws on the information held in the ASTA membership database. It is essential, therefore, that this information is accurate and up to date. Please take a moment to check the directory to see if any of your information has changed since you joined. Please let us know of any changes to your company name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, company ASTA representatives, etc. Details of changes can be mailed to the ASTA offices at 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 650, Alexandria, VA 22314-2875, faxed to 703-837-9365, or e-mailed to Peter Patterson, Director, Membership Services, at ppatterson@amseed.org. Changes to the database will be made as they are received and it is intended to run the program to update the directory on Friday each week. However, if there is a significant number of changes, the program will be run more often.

Upcoming Events

January 24-27, 2004
43rd Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference
Savannah, GA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
To register, please follow this link: Savannah

May 24-26, 2004
International Seed Federation Congress
Berlin, Germany
www.worldseed2004.com

June 27-30, 2004
121st ASTA Annual Convention
Wyndham Franklin Plaza
Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
Annual Convention

November 7-8, 2004
ASTA 50th Farm & Lawn Seed Conference
Westin Crown Center
Kansas City, MO

December 8-10, 2004
ASTA 34th Soybean & 59th Corn & Sorghum Seed Conferences and Seed Expo 2004
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL
Tel: 1-888.890.7333

June 19-22, 2005
122nd ASTA Annual Convention
Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Tower
Seattle, WA

July 7-14, 2006
Joint ASTA-CSTA Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL